Page 75 of Code Name: Typhon

“Do not be. You are not responsible for anyone’s behavior but your own.”

“Thank you, Levi.”

He brushed my lips with his and wiped my tears. “How went it with Mike today?”

I rolled my eyes. “He took me over to look at the regency house. Did you know he owned it?”

“Not officially, but I had my suspicions.”

“It’s lovely.” My eyes scrunched. “He doesn’t live in it. Besides the lower level, which he didn’t take me through, the closets on the other floors were all empty. Wait, do you think he’s the ‘tenant’?”

Levi shook his head. “We would have seen him coming and going at least once. I believe he approaches the studio from the opposite direction.”

“No matter. Regardless of how hard he pushes, I won’t be buying it.”

“You will not.”

My eyes scrunched again. “Why do you say it in such a way?” He opened his mouth to speak, but I put my fingers on his lips. “You bought it, didn’t you?”

“As an investment, yes.”

“I wonder why he took me through it, then.”

“Perhaps to see how you liked it? I hope you’re not angry with me.”

“Why would I be?” All Levi had done since I met him was look out for me, care for me, and comfort me in a way no one else ever had.

“Yes, indeed. Why would you? I’d like to propose we agree on something.”

“Go on.”

“Whatever I do is with the best intentions and, I’m sure, vice versa, and that is how we react.”

I smiled. “I already have done. When you said you hoped I wasn’t angry with you, the first thing I thought of was you’ve done nothing but care for me.”

“El, it may be too soon for me to say how I feel, but you should know I do. Here.” He rested his hand on my heart.

“I do, and you should know the same.”

He nodded, and we kissed.

“I haven’t arranged for food to be delivered to the flat, so rather than carry you into the bedroom to make mad, passionate love to you, I think we should eat first.”

I laughed. “We should. If only because we’ll need our strength once we are in bed.”

“I like the way you think, El.”

22

TYPHON

Eliza and I spent the next week in Brighton. While I made occasional trips to Shere and London, I was with her for dinner every night.

Each time I left her, I was filled with dread. And, according to Kima, I was more irritable than I’d ever been in all the time she’d known me.

We hadn’t moved into the house next door to her studio yet but planned to in the next few days. My biggest challenge was setting up my own personal command center. While I could check in with my team from anywhere in the world, monitoring them was difficult.

I wanted to discuss the subject with Eliza and propose that I put an office either on the third or fourth floor. There were two other things I wished to talk to her about, and only one related to our living quarters—installing a workout area.